


My Brave Soldier

by MapsOnTheDunes



Category: Eddsworld - All Media Types
Genre: Adopted Children, Angst and Humor, Childhood Trauma, Family, Father Figures, Father-Daughter Relationship, Gen, Humor, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Other, Past Child Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-23
Updated: 2019-11-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 20:48:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21535078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MapsOnTheDunes/pseuds/MapsOnTheDunes
Summary: While Tord doesn't exactly like children, he knows that he needs someone to take over the army when he gets older. Enter Ivy, a high-strung 8-year-old orphan girl who is known for her intelligence, love for books, and snarky poetry. Will these two get along? How will Paul and Pat react?And most importantly...what will change now that Ivy's here?
Kudos: 9





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, this will have multiple chapters. I'm busy with school, so updates can and will take time. Please leave honest feedback!

If anyone had once asked Tord if he wanted children, the answer would have been a cold ‘No.’  
He didn’t want any children. He had no wife, no girlfriend, no women he was close to at all. So, as a result, he had no biological children. He was perfectly fine with staying childless forever--until he realized that he would need someone to take over the army if he were to die or retire. 

After some research, he found the right one. A young girl. Right now he was in an office with plain white walls, covered in framed diplomas. Tord glanced at the family photo on the lawyer's desk as she searched for some papers.

"Now, sir...you do realize what you're getting into, don't you?" She peered at him through her glasses. "An adopted child can be a lot to handle. Especially one such as this young lady." 

"I'm sure." Tord gritted his teeth. Who did this woman think he was? He was in charge of an entire army. He could handle one small child. 

The lawyer stared at him for a second. "Well. If you're so sure. All you need to do is sign here. You'll have her within a few days." 

Tord nodded in response, standing up to leave. "Thank you."

*  
Tord was glad that he made it to his car in time before it started to rain. He didn't like it when his hair or his uniform got wet. He started his car, shifting the gears before driving back to the base. He hoped Paul and Pat wouldn't question where he had been; they likely would mock him if he told them he had gone to submit adoption paperwork. On second thought, they might not even believe him. 

Well, whether or not he told them now, it they would see for themselves in a few days.


	2. Meeting Ivy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't edit this before posting. I simply posted because I felt like it. Please tell me if you feel something's wrong, or notice a mistake!

Ivy was nervous, just as any other child would be. She had never met the man who she would be living with from now on, the man who had wanted to be her father. She honestly wasn't sure if anyone would ever replace her father, no matter what kind of a person they were. 

"We are almost here. Look out the window, it's the red brick building." The woman driving didn't even look back at Ivy.

Ivy glanced out the window, her eyes widening at the sight of the huge building up ahead. There were armed guards at the front gate, watchtowers after every hundred feet of wall, and more barbed wire than she had ever seen in my life. Ivy felt confusion and fear rising in her. 

"Why here?" She asked herself, not even realizing that she had spoken aloud. 

"Just because. It's where your new guardian lives." The woman explained simply, parking the car and getting out. Ivy could tell she didn't want to answer any more questions. "Get your suitcase from the back. I'll come with you to the front door, only because he still needs to sign one more thing."

Ivy did as she was told, not knowing how she felt in this new place. She set her suitcase down a moment to adjust the scarf around her neck--although it was only early fall, it was quite chilly out. Even Ivy, who loved the cold, felt that she needed something warm on. She quickly picked up her suitcase and caught up with the social worker. 

*

Tord had been watching out of his office window, and so he opened the door before either of them could even get a chance to press the bell. Ivy backed away slightly, seeming intimidated. 

"Hello there. Ivy, right?" He looked down at her, smiling. "I'm Tord." He held out a hand for her to shake. 

She shook his hand, giving him a small smile. In reality, she didn't know how to feel. She wasn't stupid--she knew exactly who she was talking to, although the social worker seemed not to. 

"Would you mind signing here?" She held up a form to Tord, handing him a blue ballpoint pen. "After this, you won't have to do anything more." 

Tord quickly signed the document, then picked up Ivy's suitcase and grabbed her hand, as though she really were his child. "Alright. Thank you very much." He brought Ivy inside, closing the door.

It didn't look all that bad to Ivy. It seemed to be a regular living room. Well...mainly. There were guns mounted on the walls, and several awards with Tord's name on them. 

"So." Tord sat down in an armchair right by the fireplace, gesturing to the chair across him. "Please sit."

Ivy did as she was told, just as she had been trained to do for years. Better not upset him just yet. Besides, it wasn't as though she had a reason to.

"Would you like some hot chocolate?" He asked her gently.

The child started to nod, then right away shook her head. She didn't know if any specific response was expected of her. 

Tord stared at her a moment. "I'll take that as a yes." He poured her some hot chocolate from a teapot that had been sitting on the small side table. After passing her the cup, he looked back up at her.   
"So...tell me about yourself." 

Nobody had ever asked this of Ivy before. It took her a few seconds to respond. "Well...my name's Ivy, I'm from Finland, and I like to read." She looked down at her hot chocolate, not wanting to make eye contact with Tord. "That's about it. What about you? I told you sone things about me. You should do the same or it won't be fair."

Tord quirked a brow, an amused smile coming to his face. "Very well. I'm Tord, I'm from Norway, and I like reading as well. And...I also like shooting things." He admitted, laughing a bit.

"Well, that's an interesting hobby to have." Ivy snickered. 

"Mmm...it can be. Are you done with your hot chocolate yet?" 

"Yes." She nodded.

"Well, come on. I want to show you around."


	3. Chapter 3

Ivy felt a little nervous as Tord led her into the hallway, especially when two soldiers noticed them. When she took the time to look them over, however, she didn't feel so scared. In fact, she was now trying not to laugh at the grumpy one's eyebrows. 

"Paul, Patryck...this is Ivy." He placed a gloved hand on Ivy's shoulder, almost affectionately.

"Hello." She spoke quietly, trying to smile politely, as she had been taught.

"Well...erm...hello, Ivy." Smiled the taller one, the one with the dorky parted fringe. He put out a hand for her to shake. "I'm Patryck." 

Ivy shook his hand firmly, smiling. "Nice meeting you." 

The guy with the bushy eyebrows shook her hand as well, somewhat awkwardly. "Paul." He mumbled simply. 

Red Leader cleared his throat. "She's my daughter, and will be staying with me from here on out." He ruffled her hair. Ivy couldn't help smiling a little bit at this. Both men looked shocked at this statement.

"Daughter, sir?" Paul asked, eyes wide. "But...where...how…"

Red Leader looked at him sternly. "That's none of your concern right now." 

Paul gulped. "Erm...yes sir." He quickly left, dragging Patryck along with him. Red Leader calmly watched them go, chuckling when they were out of sight. 

"Anywho. Let's go see everything else."

Tord showed her the canteen, the shooting range, the garages, the lab, and the weapons room. Ivy liked the lab and the weapons room best of all. 

"Now. Let's go back to my quarters, shall we? And you can settle in properly."

It was a long walk back to the part of the base where Tord lived. He showed her the room she would live in--there was a bed with a pale pink bedspread in the corner, and a nice bookcase next to it. Across the room was a brightly painted wooden toybox and another set of shelves. 

"I'm sure you can put your books on the shelves...and your toys in there." He gestured to the toybox.

Ivy nodded. "Yes, sir. I think I could." Ivy didn't have a lot of things. The things she did have were mostly books. She only had a couple toys.

"So, you have an attached bathroom. And you will be expected to keep it clean." He pointed to a door in the corner. "I'll leave you to take a shower if you need it, ans get ready for bed. You are to get up by 7:00. We need to get you used to getting up for school." He spoke almost as if he was speaking to a soldier. He suddenly seemed to remember that Ivy was just a young girl. "Erm...anyway. I'll leave you be. If you need anything, I'm two doors down the hall." He patted her head, thrn left the room.

Ivy took a long shower, washing her hair as well. She wasn't sure how she felt about having Tord as a father. She knew he wasn't much like her own father, and that she would have to live with that. As she got dressed, she tried to think positive thoughts about her life. He didn't seem completely insane...at least, that's what she hoped. She tried not to hope so much; she knew it wasn't good. You were bound for disappointment if you spent all your time hoping for things.

Ivy climbed into her bed, squeezing her eyes shut and trying to think as hard as she could about sleep. She prayed silently that it wouldn't be another long, sleepless night for her. 

As usual, her prayers remained unanswered.


End file.
